Who
is in control of this world? Is there one Being who is the absolute authority
in the Universe? The Biblical answer to these questions is yes. And that it is
God, and God alone. Long and messy is
the battlefield over the Sovereignty of God. There still remains a great amount
of debate over this doctrine, and though there are good men on both sides of
the argument, someone has to be right.
We are all prone to exaggerate the doctrinal
position of others, in order to make ourselves look better, smarter, or more
spiritual. Yet I will say that any “level headed Bible student”
should agree, that God is Sovereign. We may disagree on how He chooses to
exercise that
Sovereignty - but dear reader, God is either Sovereign over all,
or He is not Sovereign at all. There is no such thing as being
partially sovereign.
Some will suggest
that the doctrine of God’s sovereignty is a complex and difficult doctrine. One
that only theologians and Bible scholars can grasp. But, this isn’t so. I am
going to insist God's sovereignty isn’t some obscure doctrine hidden in the far
corners of the Bible reserved for the seminary classroom. Instead, it is a
fundamental doctrine of the Christian faith and should be loved and embraced by
every believer. The fact that God is Sovereign is not hard to
understand. It may be hard to swallow, but it isn’t hard to understand.
To say that God is
Sovereign, we mean that He is Supreme in Power. There is none above God. He
possesses Universal Dominion and is Superior to all others. He has Absolute
Authority over all things and at all times. God has the unconditional right and
ability to do whatever He wants, whenever He wants, and to whomever He
wants. God never has asked permission from anyone to do anything, and He
never will.
1 Chronicles 29:11-12
States that God owns everything. He is the Ruler over everything. To Him alone
belongs all power, all glory, all victory, the greatness, the Majesty. God
alone is exalted above all others. He is the Divine Self-governing Monarch who
alone reigns over all creation. His will is not bound by man, or any other. AW Pink rightly
said; “God does as He pleases, only as He pleases, always as He pleases. None
can thwart Him; none can hinder Him.”
A gentile king
named Nebuchadnezzar quickly learned that God was the Sovereign of the
Universe. Listen to his words: Daniel 4:35 And
all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according
to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and
none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?
In other words, God is answerable to none. He
righteously decrees all things as it pleases Him to do so, and there are none
who can obstruct Him. All the combined armies of the earth cannot in anyway, impede
the will of the Sovereign.
We live in a nation that is politically divided and
are enduring the seemingly endless battles of politicians coveting our
vote. But, in heaven there are no brokered conventions. No delegates, or no
electoral college. God Almighty rules and reigns over the affairs of men
and does whatever pleases Him. Psalms 115:3 But
our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased.
God has spoken it;
God will bring it to pass. God has purposed it and will also do it. Isaiah 46:9-11 Cleary shows that God is Sovereign over
time, eternity, life, death, circumstance, and yes, even salvation. Some
generous souls will “grant” God sovereignty over everything except the human
will.
I ask, is God
Sovereign over creation, Satan, the angels, the weather, nature, and everything
else, but not over mankind? Only human arrogance would be so bold to suggest that God is Sovereign
over everything except us. I say again, EITHER GOD IS SOVEREIGN OVER ALL, OR HE
IS NOT SOVEREIGN AT ALL.
Someone once asked
Spurgeon, how he reconciled the sovereignty of God and the responsibility of
men. His reply: “they do not need to be reconciled, they are old friends.”
While it is gloriously true that God is the Absolute Sovereign of the Universe,
it also true that men are responsible for their every action. Dear sinner, hear
these words: this Sovereign God has commanded all men everywhere to repent and
all those who fail to do so are personally responsible for their disobedience.
God is not to be blamed nor held responsible. Flee to Him, and you will find
that this Sovereign God is friend of repentant sinners.
Pastor Lewis Kiger
Memorial Heights Baptist Church
svdbygrace2@roadrunner.com
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